


Nobody Cares

by Patrona



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, One Shot, Takes place right after the season 1 finale, first fic I've publicly posted in over ten years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25922386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patrona/pseuds/Patrona
Summary: The cold, musty air lingering in Varian’s cell was nothing compared to the blizzard brewing in his chest.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 54





	Nobody Cares

The cold, musty air lingering in Varian’s cell was nothing compared to the blizzard brewing in his chest.

Anger. Disappointment. Loathing.

He couldn’t quite put the correct word on it, but something dark and violent clawed deep at the pit of his stomach. All his negative emotions churned inside him like an insatiable beast. It was enraged, roaring and slashing in a tempest of fangs and claws. It threatened to climb up his throat and escape at any given time.

And he would have let it, if only the numbness hadn’t rendered him listless. Despite the unforgiving embers he kindled inside him, all physical motivation had gone. For days now he merely sat on the ground at the side of his bed, legs curled up to his chest. Burrowing his face in his folded arms, he barely, if ever, acknowledged the guards. Every single time, he refused to answer them or accept the meals they brought.

Even Ruddiger failed to bring Varian any sort of comfort. Despite his loyalty, the raccoon was met with neglect and condescendence. Still, the mischievous fur ball would not leave Varian’s side. He often curled up beside him or hunched on his shoulders. Even now, the little rascal rested close from atop the hay bed, nibbling on an apple core.

This kind of silence was pretty much routine at this point. As far as Varian knew, his cell was in one of the far ends of the stockades. If there was ever a noise in here, it usually meant the guards were being relieved.

For the short time he had spent in here, Varian had already grown accustomed to the slow rhythm of his days. The morning had already gone by, bringing no new development.

That is, until a slight commotion with the guards sounded beyond his bars.

The hubbub cleared out almost as soon as it had started. The leathered boots of the soldiers thundered against the stone floor. Their heavy armour clanked to the rhythm. The steps grew louder and louder until they stopped close by. A jingle of keys rang on the other side of Varian’s cell door. The lock clicked.

Varian stifled a heinous hiss. He knew what this visit was for. He had succumbed to it several times already. If it didn’t mean hours upon hours of questioning by the captain of the guard, it was an awkward and dubious one-sided conversation with the King himself.

Neither option bared any interest to him. The Captain could reprimand him all he wanted. The King could mumble more false promises to his heart’s content. He didn’t care.

Nobody cared.

The grip around his arms tightened when the door of his cell shrieked open. The noise caused Ruddiger to leap from his perch and nestle around Varian’s neck. The boy looked away, ignoring the set of soft footsteps crossing the threshold.

“Hello, Varian.”

Taken aback, Varian recoiled. He shot an incredulous glance the voice’s way.

Calm and poised as always, the Queen stood before him. Her hands folded over one another, below the waist of her amethyst satin gown. There was no smile or frown on her round and elegant face, though she peered over him with unwarranted softness.

Behind her, a guard stood close while another waited by the open door. Both pretended to be absent from the scene, standing still and staring vacantly in front of them.

There was a beat as Varian continued to stare at the Queen. Once the initial shock of her presence dissipated, he frowned and turned his head away once more.

“What are _you_ doing here?” he asked venomously.

The Queen said nothing. She held her gaze upon him, her somewhat blank expression slowly twisting into disappointment.

After a few seconds passed, she spoke again.

“It has come to my attention that you haven’t been eating or sleeping since you were brought here.”

Varian scoffed. “Don’t pretend like you care, _Your Highness_ ,” he said, pouring as much animosity as possible in his last syllables. He certainly didn’t.

Despite his aloofness, he sunk his head deeper into his sleeves, hiding the dark circles under his eyes.

Unimpressed, the Queen swiftly answered. “I do care. And so does the King.” She paused and then added, “We’re worried about you, Varian.”

Liar.

The beast trapped in Varian’s chest clawed deeper into his skin. It growled and wallowed, begging to be set free.

“The King doesn’t care about me,” Varian muttered under his breath. “No one does.”

A quiet but deep sigh lifted the Queen’s shoulders. She stepped forward and sat down on the edge of Varian’s bed, on the end nearest to him. Even in this position her posture radiated elegance and grace.

“Varian, please listen to me.”

She waited for him to make a move. But Varian was far too stubborn to even glance her way, even with Ruddiger’s prompted chattering.

Releasing another sigh, the Queen looked down at the ground and went on.

“I know how unfair the situation feels to you,” she said. “But too many things have happened for us to pretend they didn’t. You understand that, don’t you?”

Again, Varian didn’t answer. He sat motionless, sulking in his own gripes.

The beast lurched. Every word, every sentence coming from the Queen instilled anger and indignation in its veins. It welcomed the darkness as Varian’s heart turned frigid.

“Varian…” The Queen paused, thinking over her words carefully. “I want to help you.”

It took all of Varian’s will to repress a loud and obnoxious scoff. The beast nesting in his chest howled.

“Help?” he echoed harshly. “ _Help?!_ ”

An unforeseen spring pumped through his legs, jolting him up on his feet. Pushing Ruddiger off his shoulders, he faced the Queen and shot her a murderous, piercing glare.

The guards tensed. The one inside the room swiftly reached for his sword, his hand already wrapped around the hilt. But a swift and discreet show of palm from the Queen snuffed his momentum. Though reluctant, the guard relaxed his posture, eyes remaining fixed on Varian.

Even Ruddiger felt the harrowing tension filling the room. Curled up under the bed, he observed the scene with fur bristled and eyes wide.

“I _needed_ help,” Varian went on. His voice shook as he motioned erratically around him. “Help that never came! I was left to fend for myself, denied by the kingdom’s future queen and by all the citizens of Corona.”

“You know just as much as I do that there were extenuating circumstances,” the Queen gently intercepted.

But Varian wouldn’t have it.

“I don’t recall the blizzard raging on for months,” he spat. He walked around the space, every movement animated by an intense frustration. “There was plenty of time for the Crown to intervene, and yet nothing happened. Nothing! I risked my own life running through the storm of the century, hoping to get promised help for my father. But I was pushed back, branded as a threat to the Princess and ostracized by _everyone_!”

His breath became heavy and strained. It took everything not to yell at the top of his lungs. Panting and trembling with rage, he felt his eyes prickle. As his rant continued, it grew difficult for him to qualm the storm inside.

“I just wanted to save my father,” he said, strangling the emotion climbing up his throat. “I wanted to make him proud of me. It was the only thing I could do, and everyone let me down! The King did nothing to stop the black rocks. The Princess did _nothing_ to help despite her promise. Everyone just went on with their merry lives and left me to pick up the pieces alone. _No one_ helped.”

The leather of his gloves cracked as his hands turned into fists. Facing the wall opposite the Queen, he took a moment to steady his trembling shoulders. He then swivelled around and stared her down.

“So, tell me. Tell me why”—he stammered and inhaled sharply—“why should I believe you now?”

The Queen stared right back, her gaze stern yet sorrowful.

“Because I know what it feels like to lose someone you love,” she said.

Silence loomed over the cell.

Oddly, the beast in Varian’s chest settled down. Its hisses and growls warped into guttural purrs. Its sinking teeth and claws loosened.

Varian’s angered frown twisted into mild confusion.

The Queen turned her gaze towards the small barred window edging the top of the room’s far wall. Her gaze distant, she peered into the clear, calm sky. Poised as always, she continued.

“Rapunzel… my newborn baby girl. She had barely entered our lives when she was abruptly taken from us, stolen straight from her cradle. Her disappearance left such emptiness in my heart.” She paused and placed a hand over her chest. “Even now, I can feel something missing inside. I love the beautiful and free-spirited woman she is today. But the pain of losing a child you never got to see grow up still lingers.”

The tension in Varian’s limbs slackened. His shoulders dropped and his fists relaxed. He felt oddly out of place, like he was never meant to hear the Queen’s own words. A soft sting tickled the nape of his neck.

Chattering softly, Ruddiger tiptoed out of his hiding spot. From behind the Queen’s gown, he stepped out into the cell and bounded on top of the bed. Snout twitching as he sniffed the air, he approached her.

The Queen welcomed the distraction. Tearing her eyes away from what lied beyond the window, she reached for the raccoon and scratched the back of his ear.

Ruddiger purred. Nudging her side, he paced around once or twice before lying down beside her.

Smiling, the Queen brought her attention back to the young alchemist standing awkwardly across from her.

“I really, truly want to help you, Varian,” she said with the utmost sincerity. “I understand the overwhelming helplessness that thrives from loss. What happened to your father, to you… I still don’t know how we can fix this, but I will do my best to try. But to do that, I need you to trust in the King and I again.”

There was a twitch at the corner of Varian’s mouth.

“I can’t do that,” he muttered almost in a hiss. “I can’t give my trust back to the people who betrayed me.”

The Queen lowered her head, disheartened by the answer.

“You have every right to feel betrayed.” She spoke with melancholy, though her tone remained steady. “As rulers of this kingdom, it is the King and I’s duty to maintain peace and provide safety to our subjects. By ignoring your pleas and those of Old Corona, we have failed in both regards. Though our intentions were never malicious, we failed to see the long-term repercussions of our decisions.”

An aggressive huff parted from Varian’s dry lips as he said, “You’re lying. It was never your decisions to make, but solely the King’s.”

“But as queen consort,” she interjected, “I still have a duty to the people of this kingdom. I failed in my responsibilities as advisor to the King. By my leniency, I allowed horrible things to occur. The citizens of Old Corona and you have suffered through great pain and sorrow due in part to my own mistakes. I hold as much blame as the King does.”

The beast awakened once more. It growled and honed its claws.

Turning his back to the Queen, Varian shook his head and groaned in frustration.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, tense. “Why take the blame when you had absolutely nothing to do with anything?”

It didn’t make sense to him. The Queen had no real power in the governance of Corona. And yet, she seemed insistent on carrying part—if not all—of the blame.

It was a trick, an underhanded tactic to get him to sympathize with her. He was being manipulated into showing vulnerability. She’d then have him exactly where she wanted him to be.

A knot climbed up his throat. The beast at the pit of his stomach lashed out. Fangs and claws sunk everywhere they could, tearing his insides apart. Everything burned as if lined with a thick layer of frostbite.

He didn’t understand. He didn’t understand why she was doing this.

Baring his teeth, Varian pounded his fist straight into the wall. He then leaned his forehead against the cold, hard stone, burying his face in his dishevelled hair.

“You’re not making any sense,” he grumbled under his breath. “I just don’t get it! Why?!”

The Queen answered promptly.

“Because of love.” Petting Ruddiger gently across his back, she continued. “Love is a very powerful thing. It can move mountains, make us travel the farthest paths and jump so high we could touch the clouds. It can also make us feel invincible. And when you share your love with someone else, there are no boundaries to what you can do.” She sighed. “Many wonderful things can happen when you care for someone.”

Her face hardened. Straightening herself, she ironed a pleat in her dress with one stroke of her hand. She sat straight as a board, every limb held stiff and immobile.

“But love also has its downsides,” she said, sombre. “It can turn into loathing and drive to selfish acts. When it is taken away, it leaves behind a hole that burns and festers continually. It leaves room for loneliness and resentment. Its absence can even turn you completely numb.”

Varian’s head shot up from the wall. He stared at the Queen, his mouth slowly dropping as his eyes widened. She smiled sadly as she peered into Varian’s forlorn and tormented gaze.

Somehow, and as easily as taking a simple breath of air, she had managed to put words on what needled inside him.

The beast that growled and thrived at the pit of his stomach was all of that. An entity that feasted on his hatred, self-withdrawal and confusion. A destructive force peeling away at his heart and desensitizing even his thoughts. At this very moment he could feel it squirm and gnaw on his insides. It was restless, forever searching for a reason, justified or not, to slip out and lash out.

“The love you hold inside of you is precious, Varian,” The Queen said. “You must be careful not to let it corrupt and twist into something that could hurt the ones you care about.”

Her uncanny precision sent shivers down Varian’s spine. He gripped his arms and took a step back, eyes darting over the floor, as his thoughts became a jumbled mess.

Noticing his growing unease, the Queen gave him a moment. Her gentle gaze remained on him as he began pacing again.

Filled with doubts and contradicting thoughts, Varian felt the ice encrusting his heart shatter to pieces. The Queen’s warmth had worked its magic, bringing him to an even more vulnerable state.

He hated the feeling. He hated her. He hated everything she stood for.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to confront her.

They had common ground. She understood how he felt, perhaps even more than he could ever imagine. But it didn’t mean anything. Not when she stood by the Crown, the ones that betrayed and abandoned him the moment he needed them most. They weren’t worth his time.

But she had made time for him. For some reason, she had come down to the stockades on her own to instil a dialogue. She didn’t scream or promise anything. She didn’t threaten or guilt-trip him into revealing the entirety of his failed plans. She talked without judging or reprimanding his actions.

Varian wondered if it was all of her own volition or an underhanded attempt by the King to soften him up. He certainly wouldn’t put it past him. Yet it didn’t seem all that plausible either.

He just couldn’t understand why. Why had she gone out of her way for him?

Finally, Varian came to a stop. He gazed at the Queen, whom stared back with overwhelming kindness.

“Your Highness…“ He trailed off, words failing him. The sincerity in his own tone surprised him.

“Please,” the Queen said, “call me Arianna.”

Holding himself tighter, Varian tore his eyes away and stared into empty space.

“I can’t—I don’t understand,” he went on, stepping over his own words. A frown wrinkled the bridge of his nose as his voice turned bitter. “It’s like you already forgot everything I’ve done. I committed several accounts of treason! I stole and destroyed the most precious artefact of the kingdom, poisoned the citizens of Corona with a truth serum, endangered the Princess, defied the King, kidnapped you, and threatened the entire kingdom with an army of automatons! I’m a criminal!”

Out of breath, Varian panted heavily. He did his best to contain the beast riling up inside. He shot Arianna a resentful yet pleading glare.

Arianna appeared unmoved, though her ever softening expression said otherwise. She gave him a waning smile, her silence alone brimming with elegance.

“You’re the one who seems to be forgetting,” she said delicately. “Corona is the land of second chances. If we can pardon thugs, bandits, and even the infamous thief Flynn Rider, we can certainly forgive you. All it will take is time.”

Varian’s response was swift, but moderate compared to his previous outburst.

“I don’t believe you,” he said. “You can’t possibly care about me. Not after what I’ve done.” He paused, his throat suddenly dry.

He could feel the beast deep inside, howling and shredding through his skin with honed claws. His stomach churned and his heart pounded against his chest. Another glacial shiver ran down his spine. Feeling himself falter, he shook his head.

“No one cares,” he added through bated breath, quieter still. “ _I_ don’t care. So why should _you_?”

Silently, Arianna stood up and approached Varian.

Holding his breath, Varian remained immobile. He stared, wide-eyed, at the woman glowing with nothing but compassion and empathy. He didn’t even flinch when she reached for him and lifted his chin, clearing the unruly bangs from his face.

“I do care for you, Varian.” Her tone was sad, almost wistful. “I care for you just as much as I care for your father and the villagers of Old Corona. I know it will be difficult for many of us to move forward given everything that has happened. But I’m willing to do all that I can to make things right. And after some time, I hope _you_ will care enough to trust us again.”

Maybe it was her words, smooth like honey and teeming with sincerity; maybe it was her eyes, full of kindness and understanding; or, maybe it was her touch, soft like satin and warm just like a mother’s. Whatever it was, it pierced right through Varian’s last wall.

The frozen shield he had struggled to keep upright all this time finally cracked and popped. It shattered with a deafening sound, crumbling to pieces. The numbness in his heart vanished, completely melted away. The beast in his stomach remained, but its shrieks shrunk to a harmless, quiet purr.

A single tear dropped down Varian’s cheek. Trembling, he shook off Arianna’s hand and took a step back. Gingerly rubbing his arm, he looked away.

The room turned quiet. With that single motion, the conversation came to an abrupt end.

Arianna sighed, but made no attempt to revive the discussion. She lowered her head and gave Varian some distance.

“You must have a lot to think about,” she said. “I’ll leave you be. Though there is something I do need to ask of you.”

She waited, but Varian didn’t acknowledge her. His gaze remained stuck to the floor.

Regardless, she made her request.

“Please take care of yourself, Varian,” she pleaded. “Get some sleep and be sure to eat your meals. It breaks my heart to think of you deliberately withering away. You deserve rest just as any of us do."

As if agreeing to her plea, Ruddiger chimed in with a soft string of chatters. He then leapt off the bed and circled around Varian’s feet. Much like a cat, he gave off a short, rugged purr and pressed his head against the boy’s leg.

After ignoring him for so long, Varian finally dared to give his companion a quick glance. It was short-lived as an overwhelming wave of guilt submerged him. Feeling awkward, he shifted a bit, but made sure not to step on Ruddiger’s paws or tail.

Smiling, Arianna looked down at the pudgy little raccoon.

“And you, you little rascal,” she added, amused, “try not to steal too much of Varian’s food, would you? He’s a growing young man who needs the energy.”

Ruddiger purred while Varian’s head shot up. He stared at Arianna, completely frozen and stiff. She didn’t appear to notice.

Young man. She had referred to him as a young man. Not boy or kid—two terms he had heard all his life and grown to resent—, but man.

Stormed with another flurry of unsettling emotions, Varian opened his mouth. Words failed him once more as another knot clogged up his throat. He didn’t have enough time to assemble his thoughts that Arianna already motioned to take her leave.

Flanked by the guard, Arianna walked towards the door. She stopped after taking a single step through the threshold and turned to face Varian.

“Oh, and one last thing, Varian.” She gazed into his eyes, smiling. “What matters is not what you lose. It’s taking the time you need to heal so that hole you feel inside can be filled again. Only then can you take your first step in trying to fix things.”

She bowed her head and, with that said, walked off and disappeared from sight.

Varian stared as the guards closed his door and turned the key in the lock. They returned to their post, the distant sound of footsteps echoing through the empty hall.

He suddenly remembered to breathe.

A deep-rooted sigh rocked his entire body. Staggering backwards, he leaned against the uneven brick wall of his cell and slid down to the ground. Panting, he curled his arms around his stomach and brought his legs close to him.

Ruddiger edged closer. Without making a sound, he nudged him with the tip of his nose. Gaining no reaction, he moved forward and climbed onto his lap, curling into the minimal space between his chest and legs.

A few quiet minutes passed.

The silence that now reigned gave Varian little solace from his muddled thoughts. And to think he had longed for such peace the moment Arianna had stepped into his cell. Now it only allowed for the echo of her voice to ring in his mind.

So little and yet so much had been said. The entire conversation played over and over in his head like an endless lecture. Every sentence overlapped another in a hapless mess.

Somehow, Arianna’s words had stung in more ways than one.

None of them would rescue his dad. None of them would erase the things he did. But still, the words stuck to him like impermeable stains.

It overwhelmed him. Arianna overwhelmed him. Her voice, her gaze, everything; it was all too much.

Had it been her plan all along? Did she do all of this to ingrain doubt in his mind? Had she come just to mess with him?

He didn’t know anymore.

He still hated the Crown. He still hated the King. And he still hated Rapunzel. Nothing would change that.

But the way Arianna looked at him… The way she talked, the things she said…

She hadn’t done much, and yet had managed to qualm the beast raging inside. With just a few words as her carving tools, she had chiselled through his frozen barriers. And she did it all with unbridled patience and sincerity.

It couldn’t have just been a finely orchestrated and convoluted ploy. Could it?

It felt like his throbbing head was about to explode. He couldn’t think straight. Every time he tried to make sense of the situation, it grew more confusing and tortuous.

Groaning, Varian sank his face in Ruddiger’s fur. Frustration prickled at his eyes and spread an ashamed flush over his face.

In the end, it came down to one question.

Did he really mean it when he said he didn’t care?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this short one-shot that I wrote after the emotional rollercoaster that was the finale of Season 1. Couldn't find the courage to post it until now. English isn't my first language, so if there's any mistakes, grammar errors or weird turn of phrases, don't hesitate to let me know so I can correct them. Thank you!


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